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It appears it could be time for the 49ers’ top two draft picks to emerge from mothballs and play in a meaningful game for the first time since the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (Jenkins) and the Rose Bowl (James).

Today, Jim Harbaugh was asked if injuries to wide receiver Kyle Williams (season-ending ACL) and running back Kendall Hunter (ankle) could mean the team’s under-the-radar rookies will be active Sunday in St. Louis.

“There’s a good chance there’ll be some new active guys on Sunday,” Harbaugh said. “Yeah, I send that message to some of our young guys, some of our inactive guys that the opportunity is coming. You say that every week to them, ‘Be prepared, be prepared.’ … We feel good and excited that a couple of those youngsters will get that opportunity.”

Against the Saints, Jenkins was the only wide receiver among the team’s seven inactives and James was the lone running back. Only Jenkins has been active this season, and he didn’t play a snap during his lone appearance on the game-day roster (Week 1).

Last week, linebacker Tavares Gooden raved about James’ work in practice: The second-round pick played the role of Saints slippery running back Darren Sproles and Gooden said his impression was eerily authentic.

Harbaugh said James’ pass-catching ability have improved since the summer. James had 51 catches for 586 yards and four touchdowns in three seasons at Oregon.

LaMichael James. (AP)

“He’s been a wide receiver a lot of times in practice and running back coming out of the backfield,” Harbaugh said. “His hands have improved so much and his route-running ability. I think it was quite a good look for our defense this week with LaMichael.”

Both Jenkins and James teamed up with Colin Kaepernick for touchdowns in the preseason.

In the exhibition opener against Minnesota, Kaepernick faked to James on a read option – a play James ran routinely at Oregon — and sprinted 78 yards around right end for a touchdown. In the preseason finale against San Diego, Kaepernick connected with Jenkins on a 12-yard scoring pass.

** James struggled to field punts cleanly during training camp and in preseason games. Last week, Harbaugh indicated James was still a work in progress.

“He’s still coming along, still coming along,” Harbaugh said, smiling. “But, his hands overall are definitely getting better and he’s been working at it every day, every week. Kickoffs are a little easier than the punts.”

Williams was the back-up punt returner to Ted Ginn, a duty that could be assumed by cornerback Perrish Cox, who averaged 11.6 yards on 60 punt returns and scored two touchdowns at Oklahoma State.

It’s possible Ginn may not be available to play against the Rams. He was replaced by Williams on Sunday after muffing a punt in the second quarter. Harbaugh cited a hand/wrist injury to Ginn as the reason for the change.